Hallmark to shoot Christmas film in Wilmington

Published: Wednesday, July 3, 2013 at 9:25 a.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, July 3, 2013 at 9:25 a.m.

Hallmark Hall of Fame is back in Hollywood East.

"Christmas in Conway" will be the seventh production shot for the company in Wilmington. It's also the seventh studio production to film in the region this year, joining the likes of FOX's series "Sleepy Hollow" and UP channel's TV movie "The Perfect Summer."

The film, which will shoot mostly on location, opened offices this week at Post 1200, a production house in Wilmington near EUE/Screen Gems Studios, facility co-owner and Kaufmann Media Group managing partner Jodi Kaufmann said. The TV movie is expected to begin filming Aug. 5, she said.

Post 1200 typically offers about 5,000 square feet of production offices, screening rooms and audio and video editing rooms at 1200 N. 23rd St., but expanded its space to roughly 10,000 square feet to host the film, including wardrobe and set dressing offices, Kaufmann said.

"We're a mini studio without the stages, so we can do it all and post production," she said. "This film didn't need stage space, so we're able to accommodate them."

It's the first time the facility has hosted an entire production since its opening in March of this past year, but its staff and owner Sam Kaufmann, a composer who has mixed audio for trailers, films, and TV series for nearly 20 years, has worked on post-production for such locally shot films as "Tammy" and "We're the Millers" and TV series like "Revolution."

"Under the Dome" stars also have dropped by for voice overs, Jodi Kaufmann said.

"It's been a steady trickle of work from ‘Under the Dome' and other productions," she said. "A lot of our motivation to move to Wilmington was to bring new productions to the area, so we'd like to do more of that, too." The couple, who founded Kaufmann Media Group in 2006, also own two post-production facilities near Los Angeles.

"Christmas in Conway" is the first Hallmark Hall of Fame film to shoot in the area since 2011's "A Smile as Big as the Moon," which garnered positive reviews from critics. Other local Hallmark Hall of Fame projects include "The Water is Wide," "The Runaway," and "The Summer of Ben Tyler."

<p>Hallmark Hall of Fame is back in Hollywood East.</p><p>"<a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/holidays02"><b>Christmas</b></a> in Conway" will be the seventh production shot for the company in Wilmington. It's also the seventh studio production to film in the region this year, joining the likes of FOX's series "Sleepy Hollow" and UP channel's TV movie "The Perfect Summer."</p><p>The film, which will shoot mostly on location, opened offices this week at Post 1200, a production house in Wilmington near EUE/Screen Gems Studios, facility co-owner and Kaufmann Media Group managing partner Jodi Kaufmann said. The TV movie is expected to begin filming Aug. 5, she said.</p><p>Post 1200 typically offers about 5,000 square feet of production offices, screening rooms and audio and video editing rooms at 1200 N. 23rd St., but expanded its space to roughly 10,000 square feet to host the film, including wardrobe and set dressing offices, Kaufmann said.</p><p>"We're a mini studio without the stages, so we can do it all and post production," she said. "This film didn't need stage space, so we're able to accommodate them."</p><p>It's the first time the facility has hosted an entire production since its opening in March of this past year, but its staff and owner Sam Kaufmann, a composer who has mixed audio for trailers, films, and TV series for nearly 20 years, has worked on post-production for such locally shot films as "Tammy" and "We're the Millers" and TV series like "Revolution."</p><p>"Under the Dome" stars also have dropped by for voice overs, Jodi Kaufmann said.</p><p>"It's been a steady trickle of work from 'Under the Dome' and other productions," she said. "A lot of our motivation to move to Wilmington was to bring new productions to the area, so we'd like to do more of that, too." The couple, who founded Kaufmann Media Group in 2006, also own two post-production facilities near Los Angeles.</p><p>"Christmas in Conway" is the first Hallmark Hall of Fame film to shoot in the area since 2011's "A Smile as Big as the Moon," which garnered positive reviews from critics. Other local Hallmark Hall of Fame projects include "The Water is Wide," "The Runaway," and "The Summer of Ben Tyler." </p><p>Cassie Foss: 343-2365</p><p>On <a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/news41"><b>Twitter</b></a>: @WilmOnFilm</p>